E-voting kicks off!
10 November 2006
History will be made on Monday, when vision impaired voters cast their very first secret ballot, in the Victorian State election – and Vision Australia has played a vital role in the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) initiative to increase access to voting.
Our Kooyong office is hosting one of six Victorian “E Centres” to pilot electronic voting - and excitement has been mounting all week as final preparations are put in place for Monday’s launch.
The voting kiosks comprise a computer with touchscreen, keypad and headphones. Three of these centres are hosted by Vision Australia.
The pilot program is part of what Victorian Electoral Commissioner Steve Tully describes as a groundbreaking move that “will deliver an improved level of dignity and independence for blind and vision impaired members of the community.”
Our Chair, Dr Kevin Murfitt, told the audience at Vision Australia’s Annual General Meeting in Melbourne this morning that the right to vote in secret is something that every Australian is entitled to do and many take it for granted.
“Being blind, voting has always been a challenge for many people across the nation like myself, and we are delighted to work closely with the VEC on this initiative,” he said.
Stephen Jolly, Manager of RPH at Kooyong will be one of the first people to walk into a booth and cast his ballot on Monday. He says: “For the majority of people who are blind or have low vision, voting is stressful and uncomfortable as they have to rely on the cooperation of a stranger. Electronic voting has the potential to transform voting into a satisfying and relaxed experience for these people.”
People who are vision impaired and unable to vote independently can vote electronically from Monday, 13 November to 6.00pm on Saturday, 25 November.
The six "E Centres" locations are:
- Ballarat Vision Australia, 1300 Howitt Street, Wendouree.
- Melbourne CBD Melbourne Town Hall, cnr Collins and Swanston Streets.
- Heidelberg Olympic Leisure Centre, 15 Alamein Road, Heidelberg West.
- Shepparton Vision Australia, cnr Archer Street and Channel Road, Shepparton.
- Kooyong Vision Australia, 454 Glenferrie Road, Kooyong.
- Warragul Vision Australia, 2A Mouritz Street, Warragul.
Extended hours of operation are on Saturday, 18 November from 9.00am to 2.00pm and until 8.00pm on Thursday, 23 November. E Centres also cater for any person unable to vote on election day - Saturday, 25 November.